Inlet valve for flush tanks



Aug. 19, 1952 Filed July 2'7, 1949 TOPNE V5 Patented ug. 19, 1952 UNITED sTATEs PATENT orricla: y

INLET VALVE ,g'einusrr TANKS l I I Harry F. Smith, Lexington, Ohio,

assignorv to Mansfield Sanitary Pottery, Inc., lverrysville, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Y Application July 2,7, 1949, serial No. 107,072'

1 This inventionrelates generally to inlet valves of the hush pipe type for flush tanks and is particularly concerned with a modification of the apparatus -shown in my copending application Serial No. 61,646, filed November 23, 1948, which application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 608,408, filed August 2, 1945, and now abandoned.

In the apparatus of the just mentioned application, adjustment of the valve housing up or down on the hush pipe has the effect of raising or lowering the surface level of water in the tank. yScrewing the float rod in its supporting lever away from or toward the bracket has the effect of increasing or decreasing the extent of opening of the valve.

In the present invention, movement of the housing along the hush pipe respectively increases and decreases lthe extent of opening of the valve while' movement of the float lever pivot away from or toward the seat at the open end of the vinlet pipe respectively raises or lowers the'surface levelof liquid in the tank. Thus the present'invention obtains the advantages of my prior device in a new combination of parts which includes certain parts of my prior apparatus and certain new parts and which has a new mode of operation.

The present invention will be better understood by those skilled in the art from a consideration vof the following description, together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view, partly in l elevation, through one modification of this invention Figs. 2 and 3 are plane views, partly in secy tion, taken on lines 2--2 and 3--3, respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view of a modiylied form of nipple stop and anchor; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of collar.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the bottom wall I of a flush tank is shown as having an opening 2 through which an inlet pipe extends. This pipev includes a threaded nipple 3 positioned in the hole 2 and having a flange 4 inside the tank and apipe 5 of smaller diameter than the nipple extending 6 Claims. (Cl. 137--218)` centrically with the inlet pipe.

dof the lower shell.

a flange IIat its lower end to engage the underside of the head of stop screw 8, and is cutaway at the opposite side so as partly to surround anchor 9 (Fig. 3) and to be restrained thereby from rotation about pipe ,5, and is guided by them and the wire about pipe 5 to move endwise con- Between its ends hush pipe I0 has a tube connection I2 into which a refill tube I3 may be screwedV to conduct water into the rell pipe I4.

pipe, a dome-shapedtop shell I1 which carries a valve I8 to bear on the' Valve seat 6 and close the inlet pipe against flow of water therethrough and a plate I9 which extends transversely of the inlet pipe, andhas an inner edge flange to engage slidably with that pipev and an outer peripheral flange to bear against an opposed part The lowerl shell I6 has a plurality of holes 20 extending therethrough and into the chamber between the lower shell ,and the plate I9 and plate I9 has a plurality of holes 2I extending therethrough to connect the charnber between the plate -ISIv and dome I'I with the chamber beneath plate ISL-A ring 2 2, preferably composed of flexible-or deformable material, such, for example, as natural or synthetic rubber or the like, is vpositioned within the valve housing beneath plate I9. V-At-its outerperiphery it bears against the cylindrical peripheral flange on plate I9 and at its inner periphery is'spaced a short distance from the outer surface ofinlet pipe 5. When the valve I8 is moved away from seat 6 and water is permitted to flow through the inlet pipe 5, it moves ring 22 away from holes 2I and into position covering holes 20 and flows into the lower chamber in the valve housing and thence down between the inlet and'hush pipes and eventually is discharged at the lower end of the hush pipe.

A spring wire 25 is coiled around inlet pipe 5 and preferably is attached at onev end thereto. This wire closely engages theouter surface of the inlet pipe and is spaced a short radial distance from the inner surface of hush pipe Ill. Water flowing down the hush pipev and encountering the wire 25l will, in effect, be divided into two streams, i. e., one being tape like and flowing spirally around the inlet pipe between the turns of the spring wire, and the other one being substantially tubular and flowing along the inner surface of the hush pipe outside of the spring wire. These two streams move at an angle to one another and intercept one another with resultant turbulence, decrease in velocity and reduction in noise when the water is discharged from the lower end of the hush pipe. Addi tionally, the spring Awire acts as a guide for the hush pipe in 'its axial movements relative to the inlet pipe.

A collar plate 28 is operatively associated with the neck of the valve housing. It comprises a split portion 29 seated in an annular recess in the lower end portion of shelllS and an ear portion which carries a hinge pin 3| to which is pivoted one end of a float rod fitting 32. The other end of this fitting is attached to an end portion of float rod 33 which carriesat its other end portion a float ball (not shown). yA strut 34 has its lower end xed'dn position as by being extended through a hl'e in anchor 3 while its upper end 35 extends into a hole in float rod fitting 32. This upper end 35 serves as a pivot on which that tting may turn. Since the strut 34 is attached at its lower end to the inlet pipe, this pivot-forming upper portion 35 of the strut is fixed relative to the valve seat 6 of thel inlet pipe. The position of this pivot part 35 of strut 34 may be varied by adjustment of anchor 9 in ange I l. The effect of raising or lowering the pivot portion of strut 34 as by adjustmentof anchor 9"verti cally is to bring that pivot portion higher or lower with respect to valve seat 6; and the effect of such movement is to raise or lower the surface level of water in the tank at which the valve closes. V

The manner of varying the extent'of opening of the valve is by adjusting the valve housing on the hush pipe. As that housing is screwed up on the hush pipe valve I8 is moved away from seat 6 and as a result the extent of valve opening is increased. When the housing is screwed down on the hush pipe the valve I8 is moved toward seatt` and the extent of valve opening is reduced. By these adjustments the valve is moved respectively away from and toward the valve seat and the pivot portion 35.` Thus convtrol of the extent of the valve opening `is independent of the surface of water level in the tank. l ,ItV will be understood that when the flush valve is openedwith resultant lowering of water level in the tank,fltting,32 is pivoted vabout pivot 35 of strut y34 and lifts the valve housing. When the `water level liftsthe float ball, tting 32 pivots in the opposite direction with resultant downward movement of the rvalve housing and closing of lthe valve. When the valve is closed, ring 22 returns tothe .position shown in Fig. 1 thereby uncovering holes 20 and effectively preventing any back owvof water from the tank into the inlet pipe in case of failure of pressure in the latter.

In Fig. 4 is shown amodied form of the nipple, stop and anchor of Fig. 1. A stud 40 extends upwardly from, and is integral with,inipple 3a. ThisV stud has a vertical, tapped hole 4l into whichrthe lower end of strutV 34a1is threaded.

The ange Ha at the lower end of 'hush pipe Ill is c-ut away to cooperate with opposite sides of stud 40 to permit axial non-rotational movement offthe hush pipe relative to the stud. VA washer 42 and nut 43 serve to secure the strut in: fixed position. The stud nut and washer serve not only as a stop to limit the extent of upward motion of the hush pipe Vbut also as anadjustable anchor for the strut.

In Fig. 5 is shownv a modified form of collar. It comprises a portion 29a which encircles the lower portion of the housing and lies in an annular recess and a portion including ears 45 carrying a pin 46 on which one end of fitting 32 may pivot. It will be noted that the float arm and operating lever are attachedto the valve body and notA to the hush pipe, as contrasted with their attachment to the hush pipe as shown in my copending application, Serial No. 61,647. The differences in adjustments referred to hereinabove are the result of these different points of attachment.

Subject matter shown but not claimedin this application is being claimed in one or another of the following applications: Serial No. 759,064, filed July 5, 1947, now Patent No. 2,598,195 of May 27, 1952; Serial No. 61,646,r led November 23, 1948; and Serial No. 107,073, led July 27, 1949; U

Havingrthus described the present invention so that others skilled inthe art may be able to 4 understand and practice the same, I state that to said lever, a hush pipe around said inlet pipe,

a housing carrying a valve to engage said seat and connected to said hush pipe for circumferential and endwise shifting movement thereon, said housing loosely engaging Said member for rotational movement without substantial axial movement relative 'thereto and stop means engageable with said hush pipe and limiting endwise movement thereof in valve unseating direction.

2. In a flush tank, an inlet pipe having a valve seat at one end, a oat-carrying lever pivotally mounted between its ends on a pivot positioned a xed distance from said'seat, a collar pivoted to said lever, a hush pipe aroundv said inlet pipe, a housing carrying a valve to engage said seat and connected to said hush pipe for circumferential and endwise shifting movement thereon, said housing being within and loosely engaging said collar for rotational movement without substantial axial movement relative thereto, andv a stop engageable with said hush pipe toV limit the endwise movement thereof and the movemnt of saidVK valve away from said seat.

3. I n a ush tank, an inlet pipe having a valve seatat one end, a neat-carrying lever pivotally mounted between its ends on a pivot positioned a fixed distance from said seat, a member pivoted to'said lever, a hush pipe around said inlet pipe, a housing carrying a valve to engage' said seat and connected to and shiftable circumferentially and .endwise on said hush pipe, said Yhousing loosely engaging said member for rotational movement without substantial axial movement relative thereto, and stop means engaging said hush pipe and limiting its Vrotational movement and its endwise movement in valve unseating direction. Y f

4. Ina flushtank, an inlet pipe having a valve seat at one. end, a hush pipe around saidinlet pipe,l means klimiting endwise and rotational movement of the `hush* pipe, a strut having a pivot-like portion'positioned at a fixed distance from said seat, a leverl pivotallyv mounted between its ends on said pivct-like-portion of the strut, a o'at on one end of said lever and a member pivoted to the other end of said lever, and a housing carrying a valve to engage said seat and connected to and shiftable circumferentially and endwise on said hush pipe, said housing within and loosely engaging said member for rotational movement without substantial axial movement relative thereto.

5. In a flush tank, an inlet pipe having a valve seat at one end, a hush pipe around said inlet pipe, means engageable with said hush pipe for limiting the extent of its endwise and rotational movement, a strut carrying a pivot positioned at a xed distance from said seat, a oat lever pivotally mounted between its ends on said pivot, a collar pivoted to said lever, and a housing carrying a valve to engage said seat and connected to and shiftable ciroumferentially and endwise on said hush pipe, said collar loosely surrounding said housing for free rotational movement of the latter without substantial axial movement relative to the collar.

6. In a ush tank, an inlet pipe having a valve seat at one end, a float-carrying lever pivotally mounted between its ends on a pivot positioned a fixed distance from said seat, a member pivoted to said lever, a hush pipe around said inlet pipe, a housing connected to one end of said hush pipe for circumferential and endwise movement thereon, a valve connected to said housing to engage said seat, a syphon-breaking valve in said housing above the predetermined water level in the tank, said housing loosely engaging said member for rotational movement without substantial axial movement relative thereto, and stop means limiting rotational and endwise movement of said hush pipe.

HARRY F. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 655,233 Heuck Aug. 7, 1900 1,294,908 Hill Feb. 18, 1919 1,313,797 Demilt Aug. 19, 1919 1,368,884 Bozeman Febl5, 1921 1,606,274 Utley Nov. 9, 1926 1,649,620 Siefen Nov. 15, 1927 2,086,646 Stebbins July 13, 1937 2,367,951 Lewis Jan. 23, 1945 2,430,152 Wiley Nov. 4, 1947 2,444,956 lSmith July 13, 1948 

